Bird-trap



(-No Model.) -3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. BAKER. BIRD TRAP.

No. 518,173. Patented Apr. 10,1894.

W 11 gasses (No Model.) s Sheets-Sheet A. BAKER.

BIRD TRAP.

No. 518,173. Patented Apr. 10, 1894. w

(No Model.) V 3 Shets-Sheet 3.

A. BAKER;

BIRD TRAP.

No. 518,173 Patentd Apr. 10, 1894.

W i l gasses 0]! UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ABRAHAM BAKER, OF SOUTH HAVEN, MICHIGAN.

BIRD-TRAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 518,173, dated April 10, 1894. Application filed January 8, 1891- Serial No. 377,187- (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

l 3e it known that I, ABRAHAM BAKER, a citlzen of the United States, residing at South Haven, in the county of Van Enron and Stateparts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in theclaims hereto appended.

In the drawings-Figure 1 is a plan view of a trap constructed in accordance with this invention, and shown set. Figs. 2 and 3are detail views illustrating the means for holding the spring actuated bars for setting the trap. Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 are detail views of the setting mechanism.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawlngs.

11 designate similar spring actuated bars having their inner ends 2 journaled between the flanges 3 of plates 4 on drums 5, on which are also mounted coiled springs 6, adapted to swing the spring actuated arms or bars 1 through a half circle from one end of blocks 7 to the other, to cause a not, designed to be secured to the ground and to the outer ends of the spring actuated bars, to cover the space between the bars from the point of setting of the same to the end of their movement. The net is designed to be secured at two of its corners adjacent to the blocks 8 by means of staking, and it should be of sui'iicient size to enable it to be carried by the spring actuated bars to the position occupied by them after the trap has been sprung, such position being shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings. The drum 5 is provided at itsen'ds with journals, which are arranged actuated bar, and a tapering stem, which when in suitable bearing openings of the flanges 3 of the plates 4. Blocks 7 and 8 are secured 6 from the position illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and they are held over the blocks 8 by a pivoted catch 9 arranged adjacent to each of the spring actuated bars, and mounted in a casing 10. The pivoted catch 9 consists of an approximately segmental head having a projectingportionorhooktoengagethespring the trap is set is engaged by a pivoted lever 11. The lever 11 is pivoted intermediate of its ends in the casing 10, and has the inner edge of its upper portion concavely curved, to permit the stem of the pivoted catch 9 to swing outward sufficiently to release the spring actuated bar without becoming disengaged from the pivoted lever, as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings. The casing 10 consists of a securing 7 5 plate, and a vertical housing having its upper edge curved and being open at its inner edge to receive the pivoted catch and lever 11. The lower ends are connected by suitable means, such, as bars, 12 and 13, and chains '14: with thelower ends of similarlatch operating bars 15, which are pivoted intermediate of their ends, and are adapted to have their upper ends moved outward, and 1 their lower ends inward to permit the lower ends of the lovers 11 to move inward into the casings 1O sufficiently to cause the pivoted catches 9 to release the spring actuated bars. Each pivoted lever 11 is connected with the lower end of the farther operating bar 15, in order that an outward movement of the upper end of the operating bars will move the lower ends of the pivoted levers 11 inward into their casings.

The latch operating bars 15 are pivoted in a casing 16, and their upper ends 17, which are slightly beveled, are engaged by acurved end of a lever 18, which is provided at its engaging end with a horizontal shoulder19, to be engaged by the beveled ends 17 of the op- :00

erating bars 15, and a wedge-shaped stop 20 1s arranged at the top of the casing 16 between the operating bars or levers 15 when vertically and has its upper end or portion curved at 21, and terminating over the triangular or wedge-shaped stop 20. The lower end of the lever 18 is connected by a bar 22 with a trigger engaged bar 28 provided at its outerend,which is beveled,with a shoulder 24, which is arranged at the upper edge of the bar and is adapted to be engaged by a tooth 25 of a trigger 26; and the latter is fulcrumed at its inner end in a casing 27, which is provided with parallel vertical flanges, and which is adapted to receive the outer shouldered end of the bar 23 when the trap is set. hen the trap is sprung the bar 23 is drawn inward and upward, as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 7 of the accompanying drawings.

The outer portion of the trigger 26 is supported by a pin 28 to hold the inner end or tooth of the trigger in engagement with the shoulder of the bar 23; and a suitable bait may be attached to the trigger supporting pm, or a cord may be secured to the pin to enable the trap to be sprung by hand.

It will be seen that the trap is simple and comparatively inexpensive in construction, that it is positive and reliable in its operation, and that as soon as the trigger supporting pin is withdrawn from beneath the outer portion of the trigger, the latches or fastening devices for holding the spring actuated bars will be simultaneously released to spring the trap.

What I claim is-- 1. In a trap, the combination of opposite spring actuated bars pivoted at their inner ends and arranged to swing vertically and adapted to carry a net, a trigger, and fastening devices arranged at one side of the trap and each consisting of a casing, a vertically disposed pivoted catch having shoulders at its upper end arranged to engage the adjacent spring actuated bar and provided with a depending portion, and a pivoted lever having its upper portion engaging the depending portion of the catch to hold the shoulder in engagement with the spring actuated bar and having its lower portion connected with the trigger, substantially as described.

2. In a trap, the combination of opposite spring actuated bars arranged to swing vertically from one side of the trap to the other and adapted to carry a net, a trigger and fastening devices arranged at one side of the trap for holding the spring actuated bars and each comprising a casing, a pivoted catch provided at its top with a head having a shoulder, and a lever fulcrumed intermediate of its ends in the casing and having its lower portion connected with the trigger and having its upper portion recessed at its inner edge to permit an outward movement of the lower portion of the catch, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The combination in a trap, of opposite spring actuated bars pivoted at their inner ends and arranged to swing vertically from one side of the trap to the other and adapted to carry a net, fastening devices arranged at one side of the trap for engaging the spring actuated bars, a casing located between the fastening devices, the opposite bars 15 pivoted in the casing and having lower portions connected with the fastening devices, a lever for holding the upper portions of the bars 15, and a trigger connected with the lever for releasing the bars 15, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4:. In a trap, the combination of the opposite pivotally mounted spring actuated bars adapted to carry a net, fastening devices arranged at one side of the trap for holding the spring actuated bars, a casing arranged between the fastening devices, the oppositely disposed bars 15 pivotally mounted in the casing and having their lower ends connected with the fastening devices, an approximately vertically disposed lever 18 fulcrumed on the casing and having its upper end terminating above the bars 15 and adapted to hold the upper ends of the latter, and a trigger connected with the lever 18 for releasing the pivoted bars, substantially as described.

5. In a trap, the combination of opposite spring actuated bars pivotally mounted at the inner ends and arranged to swing vertically and adapted to carry a net, fastening devices arranged at one side of the trap for holding the spring actuated bars, a casing arranged between the fastening devices and provided at its top with a wedge-shaped portion 20, the bars 15 pivotally mounted in the casing and having their lower ends connected with the fastening devices and adapted to have their upper ends arranged adjacent to the wedgeshaped portion 20, and a lever 18 fulcrumed on the casing and having one end arranged adjacent to and adapted to hold the upper ends of the bars 15, substantially as described.

6. In a trap, the combination of opposite pivotally mounted spring actuated bars arranged to swing vertically and adapted to carry a net, fastening devices arranged at one side of the trap for holding the bars, a casing arranged between the fastening devices, the bars 15 having their lower ends connected with the fastening devices, and pivotally mounted intermediate of their ends, a lever IIC for holding the bars 15, a bar 23 connected my own I have hereto afl'zixed my signature in with the lever and provided with a shoulder, the presence of two witnesses.

a pivoted trigger adapted to engage the shoulder of the bar 2-3, and a supporting pin for ABRAHAM BAKEB' 5 holding the trigger in engagement with the Witnesses:

bar 23, substantially as described. E. A. HARTMAN,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as J. F. WARD. 

